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Fencer Vulns
critical 10.0

CVE-2021-39168 json

TimelockController vulnerability in OpenZeppelin Contracts

published 2021-08-26 5 y ago modified 2026-07-08 4 mo ago also GHSA-vrw4-w73r-6mm8 , EUVD-2021-1903

cvss
10.0
version 3.1, CNA
cisa kev
Not listed
not in CISA's catalog
epss
1.6%
EPSS 1.6% chance of exploitation in 30 days, percentile 75%
public exploits
0
none known

Summary

OpenZepplin is a library for smart contract development. In affected versions a vulnerability in TimelockController allowed an actor with the executor role to escalate privileges. Further details about the vulnerability will be disclosed at a later date. As a workaround revoke the executor role from accounts not strictly under the team's control. We recommend revoking all executors that are not also proposers. When applying this mitigation, ensure there is at least one proposer and executor remaining.

Patch / fix

  • npm @openzeppelin/contracts-upgradeable 3.4.2, 4.3.1
  • openzeppelin contracts 3.4.2, 4.3.1

Exploit prediction

1.59% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 75% of all scored CVEs (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-08).

CVSS scores

assigned by version score vector
CNA 3.1 10.0 CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
NVD 3.1 9.8 CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
NVD 2.0 7.5 AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P
GitHub 3.1 10.0 CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H

Affected packages

ecosystem package affected fixed in
npm @openzeppelin/contracts-upgradeable
>=4.0.0, <4.3.1
>=3.3.0, <3.4.2
4.3.1
3.4.2

Affected products

  • OpenZeppelin openzeppelin-contracts-upgradeable

Classification

Weakness
  • CWE-269 Improper Privilege Management

References

Sources

Fencer Vulns keeps one entry per vulnerability: the CVE id wins, then GHSA, and records that alias each other are merged, except that two CVEs always keep separate entries. The same data is available as JSON.